Friction shock-absorbing mechanism



Sept. 29, 1925.

S. B. HASELTINE FRICTION SHOCK. ABSORBING MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed Oct. 13, 1923 Swept 2%, E9255.

' 53. HAfiELTHE-I FRICTION sxaocx ABSORBING MECHAMSM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Film cm. 13, 1925 Patented Sept. 29, 1925.

UNITED; STATES PATE'NV'IVOFFICE.

TO W, H. MINER, INC., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

STACY 1B. HABELTINE, OF CHIOAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE LA'SSIGNMENTS,

FRICTION SHOCK-ABSORBING MECHANISM.

Application filed October l3, 1923. Serial No. 668,284.

To all whom it concern.-

, Be it known that I, STACY B. HASELTINE,

a citizen of the United States, residing at.

Chicago, in the county of Cookand State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Friction Shock-Ab sorbing Mechanisms, of which the following is a, full, clear, Concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompany-- ing drawings, forming a, part of this specific'ation.

This invention relates to improvements in friction shock absorbing mechanisms.

One object of the invention is to provide afriction shock absorbing mechanism, more particularly adapted for railway draft riggings, wherein is obtained high capaclty due to the large frictional areas together with quick and certain release. I

Another object of the invention is to provide a friction shock absorbing mechanism, of the intercalated plate type, wherein a graduated action in both compression and release isobtained, by providing a preliminary action of the followers and wedges prior to engagement and movement of the friction plates by. the followers, and thereafter a relative movement of the friction plates after the full wedging action has been set up, the friction shoes being so mounted as to rockduring releaseto break the frictional resistance between the same and the adjacent plates. r Other objects and advantages of the invention will more clearly appear from the descriptions and claims hereinafter followthe drawings forming a part" of this specification, Figure 1 is a horizontal, longi tudinal, sectional view of a portion of a draft rigging, showing .my improved shock absorbing mechanism in connection therewith. Figures 2 and 3 are vertical, trans. verse, sectional views corresponding sub: stantially to the lines 22 and 33 of Fig ure 1. Fig. 4 is; a detailed, side elevational view of one of the friction plates. And Fig. 5 is a detailed, perspective view of one of the ,w'edge'shoes. v i q a In said drawings, .10,10 indicate channel draft sills to the inner faces of which are secured front stop lugs 11. and rear stop lugs 12. A portion of tliedraw-bar is shown at 13 to which is attached a hooded yoke 14. The shock absorbing mechanism proper including the front and rear, followers, is disposed within the yoke 14,

and the movable parts of the draft rigging are supported by the detachable saddle plate 15 The improved shock absorbingmcchanism proper, as shown, comprises, broadly, front and rearwedge followers A-A; front and rear friction shells BB; two groups of friction plates C-C; front and rear pairs of friction shoes D .D;'a spring resistance E; a retainer bolt F; and front and rear spring followers GG. i

The front and rear wedge followers are of like construction and coact respectively with the front and rear stop lugsin the usual manner. Each follower A-is of rec-. tangular shape and is provided with spaced, inwardly projecting top, bottom and side flanges l6-l6 and an inwardly projecting, hollow wedge portion, 17 disposed centrally between the side flanges and extending from the top flange to the bottom flange of the follower. The projecting wedge portion 17 of each follower protrudes beyond the inner edges of the flanges l6 and is provided with verticallydisposed, inwardly converging side faces 18.

The front and rear. friction shells B are of like construction, each being of substantially box-likeshape and comprising horizontally disposed top and bottomvwalls 19-19 and vertically disposed spacedwalls 2O20. At the inner end of each shell B" the v top and bottom walls are provided respectively with downwardly and upwardly projecting transverse ribs v 21 extending inwardly a short distance from the sidewalls, saidribs being adapted to guide the upperandlower edges of the friction plates. The upper and lower walls at the rear end of each shell B are also respectivelyprovided with spaced bearing lugs 121,. having flat front bearing faces. At the outer end of each-shell B,, ,th e top and bottom walls are provided respectively with downwardly andupwardly proj ecting, transverse flanges 22, the samejbei-ng cut away centrally to permit insertion ,of the friction shoes 1)." l v The friction plates 0 are arranged within the shells B and comprise twolopp'ositely disposed groups. vAs herein shown, the groups of plates C each comprises three plates 23 and three, plates 24, the plates 23 and 24 being alternated, with the platcs24 of each with the inner surfaces of the adjacent side walls 20 of the front and rear shells- B.

The plates 23 and 24 are ofsimilar con struction, and as best shown in Figure 4, each plate is provided with upper and lower projections 25 at one end thereof, thereby providing a T-head construction having ververtically alined upper and lower stop shoulders 26. As shown in Figure 1, the plates 23 and 24 are alternated and reversely arranged, with the projectio'ns'25 of the plates 23 disposed outwardly of and co-a'cting with the flanges 22-of the rear friction shell B and the projections 25 of the plates 24; coacting with the flanges 22 of the front frictionshell B, and the mainportion of the plates extending between the ribs 21 of both shells, and guided thereby. i i

The wedge friction shoesD are all of like construction, being in the form of elongated blocks arranged in pairs at the front and rear ends ofthe mechanism. Each ofithe sh-oesD, as best shown'in Figure 5, has a fiat side face 27 adapted to engage the adjacent friction plate 23, an'outerwedgeface 2S similarly inclinedto, and adapted toco' act with, one of the follower wedge faces 18, and a relatively flat transverse face 29 adapted to coact with the corresponding spring follower plate Each of the shoes D has the outer'end portion thereof cut away at the upper and lower sides as" indicatedlat 30 thereby providing fiat faces 31 and rounded "bearing portions 32 at the ends of the faces 31 adjacent the side faces 27. Th rounded bearing portions 32 of the shoes'l) are adapted to abut and rock on the inner faces'of the flanges 22 of the frontand rear shells respectively, for a purpose hereinafter described. Each of the shoes is also rounded off between the wedge face 18 and the flat transverse face 29 thereof,ja's indicated'at 33 so that the shoemay have rocking movement 011 thecorresponding spring follower plate" G1 The rear 3 ends of the shoesD are adaptedto abut the frontfaces of the abutment lugs 121", said'ends being slightly rounded for "aportionthereo f to provide proper clearance during the swing ing movement of the shoes. j

The inner and outer coils of the spring resistance .E coa'ct with the front and rear shoes I) a-nd'have the opposite ends thereof abutting, respectively, the front; and rear spring follower plates G, p j I Each of the spring'followe'rs'G is in the form of a rectangular plate having a tran'sversely curved, outer bearing face 34 adapted tocoa'ct w'ith the rounded portions 33 and the adjacent fiat surfaces 29 0f the 'corre{ spon'ding pair" of wedge shoes D.

Wear plates 35, adapted to formahutments for the ends ofg'the frictionplates are preferably provided, the same being secured to the: inner faces of thefront and rear followers at oppositesidesof the central projections 17.

The v friction; shock absorbing mechanism is held under initial compression by the retainer bolt F, passing through the inner coil of thespring resistance and alined openings in the spring follower G and the wedge proje'ctions 17, having one end thereof anchored to the rear follower by means of a head received in the hollow projection 17 thereof and having the other end anchored to 'the front follower by means of a nut received in'the corresponding, hollow projection 17.

lVhen the parts are'in'norinal position,as clearly shown in Figure l',"the frictionshell members are held in the extremeouterm ost position and slightly spaced from the inner ends'of the flanges of the front and rear fol-' lowers by the expansive forces of the spring resistance E, .with the outer faces of the flanges 22 of the front and rear shells engaging respectively the shoulders 26" of the plates 24 and 23, therebymaintaining the front ends of the'plates 24 and the rear ends of the plates 23' slightly spaced from the inf nei' walls of 'thefro'nt and rear followers, respectively. It will beevident t-hatoutward movement of. the shells B is'limited by en gagernent of the abutment lugs 121' with the rear ends of the shoes D, the shells being hel d' 'in" their outermost position by the rounded faces v32 of the shoes engagingthe innersides of the flanges 22,'the shoes be} expansive action of the spring resistance, lateralmovement' of the shoes being prevented by thewedgeprojections 17 and the groups of friction plates. I I

In the operation of my improved shock absorbingmechanism, assuming "that. the front follower A' is being moved rearwardly toward the'rear follower during "buff, a wedging action will be set upbetween 'the wedges of the front and rear followers and the-shawl), thereby forcing the opposed groups of plates hard again'stthe side walls of 'the shells and creating lateral pressure on the plates composing eachfgroup and a'iig Inenting the resistance therebetween. In this connection ittis pointed out that the space left fbetween each ffollower and shell 'is' such as to permit suffi'c'ient relative movement to effect the Qdesired' wedgingaction. During the" rearward movement 'of the front follower A, the front shell willbe'forced rearwardly {toward the rear shell,'whi le the latter held substantially stationary; "D'ue'to the frictiomexi'sting' between'lthe groups of plates and the shells, and shoes, there will be a tendency for the plates to move rearwardly with'the frontshell and an 'equ'altendency Iva r, 5-55; see

for; the: plates to be, held stationary with therear 'shell. 11 account of this balancing ac rate'as the front follower approaches the front ends of'the platesz" Thisact'ion continuse until the front and rear followers engage respectively 'w-ith the front ends oftheplates 24 and the rear ends Tel-"theplates 23;

whereupon" the plates will be moved relatively by the movement of thefollowers,

until the opposite ends of the respective plates engage with theffront and rear followers and the inner ends o'ithe shells abut,

-whereupon the plates and shells will act in the mannerof' stop columns; transmitting theultim'ate pressure directly from the front;

follower to the rear follower: lit will be evident that the resistance to relative move ment of the followers is greatly increased care oflight shocks; isthus" had before" the :platescomeinto-j play.' In addition to'the frictioncreated between the relatively mov ing platesduring the rearward movement of thefrontfollower A, friction" will also be createdbetweeir the outermost plates of each group and theinn'er surliace'softhe rear shell 13; and between theinnermost'pl-ates of each" a relativel vto each other the Hanges-QQof-the shells andithe shoulders 2649f the plates will be separated, thereby assuringcertain release of the mechanism; the plates not being picked up by the shells" until after thewedg ing pressure has been reduced sufficientlyto assure an easyrelealsei' Duringdraf-t, the ac tionwill bethereverse of that just described; the rear follower being moved toward the front follower while the latter is held stationa-ry.-"

WVhen the actuating pressure is relieved;

the wedgingpressure is instantly reduced due to the followers moving away fromth e wedgeshees and thewed'geshoes being l'oosenedi with respect to: the adjacent friction plates 1 The looseningor'coll'apse of the wedge shoes: D ise'f'fectedt at the same time the wedges drop: away fromthe shoeszby: the; shoes being: rocked: relatively to: the front and;

rear shells B by the-expansive action of the:

spring resistance E. As the springtplates Gr: are forcedi outwardly? theforce will be directly applied to the rounded portions: 33: of

the shoes- D and: as the .rounded; bearing" peroutwardly with reference to. the portions'33 engaged by the; spring followers, the inner" ends; of the shoes will be swung inwardly toward each othen'thereby 'swingingthe faces,

27 out: of surface contact with the innermost friction plates 23 of. each grou Inward swinging movement of the shoes is: limited by engagement of-the flat faces29 thereof with the outer curved: bearing surfaces 34 ofthe spring follower plates G, or by en gagem'ent of the inner surfaccs'oii the longi-" tudinaQ -Wall. of caclr shoe D with; the outer edges of the spring resistance Upon reduction of the wedging; pressure, expansion of thespring resistance EL forces the shoes and shells outwardly; pressureon: the groups ofi plates has been. thus: reduced, as the spring followers move outwardly,- the plates are. picked: up by en.- gagenient ofthe-ribs 22 Withthe shoulders: 26. of the plates and all the parts: arerestored to normali position. 'i a i .li-have herein shown and described'i what I now consider the preferred; manner ofcarrying' out mydnvention, but the same is merely: illustrative and I contemplate all: changes and\ modifications that, come within the" scope of the. claims; appended hereto.

1. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination. with; front and; rear followers movable relatively toward, and from. each other of front rear shells movable respectively with said followers;i a spring resistances: a: longitudinallyarranged wedge pressure creating means. including friction shoes having rocking engagement with said shells; and: longitudi nally arranged; co-acting friction plates: adapted to. move relatively during said rel atisveinovement of said: followers and shells}, said plates beingwdividedviinto two: groups on opposite sides of saidpressure-creating meansa i 2;:[11 a. friction shocki absorbing mechanisnr, the combination with front. and rear" main. followers; of oppositely arranged, front and rear, friction shells; a spring re-, sistance; a longitudinally arrangedwedge pressure creating'means covacting' with: said followers; said? means; including:oppositely disposed tiltable wedge shoes adapted tobe-r held apart during compressive action of the; mechanism-y a-plurality of relatively movable sets of friction: plates within said sh'e'llsysaid plates being divided into two groups on opposite sides of said pressure creating means; springi followers; and coacting. means onzsaid shoes and. spring fol lowersfor swinging; the shoes out offace,

contact; with said; groups of plates; duringrelease" of: the mechanism, 3;,11'1? a friction: shock absorbing meche. anismg. the combination: with front and" rear main: followers, said-1 followers being re'latisvely movable;- toward: and. from: e'aichfother :1 of" oppositely arranged; front and rear, relatively movable friction shells a: spring; resistance; a longitudinally arranged wedge:

After the. wedging' rocking engagement pressure creating system co-acting-withsaid main followers, said system being collapsl'ble during release of the mechanism;

longitudinally arranged co -acting friction :relatively movable toward and from each other a spring resisting relative approach of said shells; wedges movable with said front and rear followers; a plurality of wedge shoes co-ac'ting with said wedges, and having with said bearing means; longitudinally arranged co-acting friction plates co-operable withsaid shoes and adapted to be moved relatively upon said relative movement of said followers, said plates being divided into two groups disposed within said shells and on opposite sides thereof. a I

In' a friction shock absorbing rmechanism, the combination with front and rear followers having wedge means movable therewith; of oppositely arranged, relatively movable, front and rear friction shells; a plurality of longitudinally ar ranged sets of frict-ion plates, each set of plates being adapted to be moved in one direction by one of said shells, the plates movable with the front shell being interposed between the plates movable with the rear shell, and'said plates being arranged in groups at opposite sides of said shell: friction shoes interposed between said groups of plates and the wedge means and adapted to rock on said shells; a spring resistance; and spring follower means "engaging said shoes and adapted to rock the same during release ofthe mechanism to break the frictional resistance between the shoes and the plates,

6. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with oppositely ari-angedfront and rear followers; of a pair of friction shells provided with interior friction surfaces, said shells being normally spaced apart and adapted to move relatively; longitudinally arranged friction plates adapted to be moved relatively by said followers, said plates being divided into two groups at opposite sides of said shells, each group comprising two sets of plates; a plurality of wedge blocks movable with said followers; wedge. shoes co operating with said blocks and the groups of friction plates, said shoes being tiltable during release; spring'resisted means co-operating with said wedge shoes to disengage the same from the friction plates during 1 the release of the mechanism; and means arranged to engage each plate for restoring each plates to normal. position, I l

7 In a friction-shock absorbing mechanism, the combination ,with oppositely arranged, front and rear. followers, said folset of lowers being relatively movable toward each other; of longitudinally arranged, relativelyv movable, intercalated friction plates, said, platesbeing arranged in groups on opposite sides of the mechanism and alternate plates being adapted to be engaged and moved by the front and vrear followers respectively; longitudinally arranged lateral wedge pressure creating means atopposite ends of said mechanism, adapted to cooperate with said followers, said meansyincluding a pair? of friction shoes adaptedto rock toward each other to break the frictional resistance between the same and the plates; front and rear friction shellshousing the said plates, said shells being-normally spaced'apartand adapted to be moved relatively upon said relative movement of said followers; means for yieldingly resisting relative approach of. said shells and restoring the same to normal position; and inter-engaging means on said shoes, shells and plates for. restoring-said shells and lates tonormal position.-

8. In a riction' shockiabs'orbi'ng mechanism,the combination with a shell; of a wedge pressure creating means including friction shoes, said shoes being mounted for rocking movement. on said shell; a plurality, of friction-,plates withinsaid shell, said plates being-adapted for relative movement, and being divided into two groups on oppo-Q site sides of the pressure 7 creating: means, and means for yieldingly opposing move-} ment of said shoes. Y Q

9. In a friction shockabsorbing mecha-' nism, the combination with a shell having interior friction surfaces; of-a spring re sistance; friction wedge pressure exerting means within saidshell, said means including a pair of opposedshoes adapted to be swung inwardly away from the walls of the shell during release action of the mechanism,

and 'means for yieldingly resisting move- 11. In a friction shock absorbingmechanism, the comb1nat1on with front and rear mam followers; of a spring resistance; 10ngitudinally arranged wedge-pressure-creating means co-acting with said followers; said means including tiltable wedge shoes adapted to be held apart during compressive action of the mechanism; a plurality of relatively movable intercalated friction \0 plates co-acting with said shoes; means for resisting lateral movement of said plates in an outward direction; spring followers; and co-acting means on said shoes and spring followers for swinging the shoes out of face contact with said plates during release of the mechanism.

In Witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 10th day of October, 1923.

. STACY B. HASELTINE. 

